Emeka Okafor added 20 points and 15 rebounds for the retooled
Bobcats, who have won four of their last five contests and 10 of
19 since Bell, Boris Diaw and Sean Singletary joined the club in
December in a trade with the Phoenix Suns.

"Offensively, we're staring to get better and on any given night
anyone on this team can score the ball," Bell said. "Over the
past few weeks, we've been able to find the guy who has the hot
hand and get them the ball and ride them until everyone else can
get going. That's a good quality to have on a team."

Memphis, meanwhile, has dropped seven straight and 11 of its
last 12.

Charlotte's roster now features eight players who were acquired
since the hiring of coach Larry Brown in the offseason,
including center DeSagana Diop, who made his debut in the win.

"We have more of an understanding of what we need to do to win
ballgames," forward Gerald Wallace said. "Tonight we understood
we had to play great defense."

Bell scored 10 of his 25 in the third quarter when the Bobcats
took the lead for good.

"We had guys that set good screens and then guys that deliver
good passes," Bell said. "My job was pretty easy. I just try
to get open and when I am, I shoot. I'm happy that we got a win
and that I was able to contribute that way I did tonight."

Rudy Gay gave Memphis its lone lead of the second half with a
3-pointer at the 8:19 mark in the third.

Bell answered with a basket on the ensuing possession to retake
the lead, 53-52. Charlotte built a 68-61 edge late in third on
Okafor's basket and led, 70-64, heading into the final frame.

Charlotte built a nine-point cushion on a dunk by Juwan Howard,
but Memphis tried to come back and pulled within two possessions
after a free throw from Marc Gasol.

"We've had a lot of close games lately," Okafor said, "and we
seem to keep our resolve and are starting to win them rather
than lose them. We're starting to get our confidence."

Diaw's 3-pointer gave the Bobcats a double-digit lead, 86-75,
with 5:01 left and they never looked back. Okafor scored six of
the team's last nine as their lead ballooned to 17 on Raymond
Felton's 3-pointer before Gay scored the last basket for the
final margin.

The Bobcats led 46-41 at the half behind 15 points from Bell.

"We made a lot of turnovers tonight," Gay said. "We were in a
good position to win this game. We just need to be more solid
down the stretch."

Gay led the way for Memphis with 26 points. Rookie O.J. Mayo
added 13.